(Riku POV)
***
I rubbed my chin in deep thought, my astute mind racing through various possibilities.
Even though I was sure that Yagami would be responsible for whatever would happen to the President, this creepy guy who just entered didn't seem much better.
I raised his suspicion level on my list by two notches, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the disdainful look he just gave me.
"President, I would like to apologize for last week. I let my emotions get the better of me," the Vice-President said, bowing slightly towards Fujikawa Senpai.
Her stern face brightened up by an almost unnoticeable amount.
"It's fine. Water under the bridge. I have some work to do at this moment, and also need to supervise these two," she replied, gesturing to the two of us. "We'll have a proper discussion tomorrow and iron out any unresolved issues. Is that acceptable?"
"Of course. But I need your input on an urgent matter. Can you spare a moment of your time?" Tadano Senpai answered, opening a file he was holding in his hand.
"Hmm.....Alright, bring it over."
I pretended to focus on my textbook, but my eyes were merely open and weren't actually doing anything. It was my ears that had taken over the workload, expanding to its complete potential at eavesdropp-...at spying.
Spying sounded cooler.
'Is this going to lead to the so-called 'accusation'?'
But contrary to what I was hoping for, Tadano Senpai just began a boring and complicated spiel about an upcoming martial arts tournament and some logistical issues they had.
I understood the words they were saying, but when put together, the sentences made no sense to me.
Seeing how focused they both looked, they didn't appear to have much bad blood between them.
The Vice-President did say that he made some sort of emotional mistake last week, probably referring to when he insulted me for no reason, but his apology should clear him from my suspect list for the most part.
'Ugh...I just want it to happen already! The earlier it happens, the earlier I get my rewards!!'
The wait was agonizing, especially since I had no idea of the actual timeline.
But I was the Child of Destiny after all, and the heavens must've heard my plea.
Because as soon as I finished my thought, the door burst open with the complete absence of a knock.
The girl from the Student Council barged in, her face pale and sweaty with panic as she struggled to get the words out of her mouth.
"Nozomi? What's wrong?" Fujikawa Senpai asked, her initial displeasure at the sudden entry vanishing when she saw her state.
"I-I It's, the forum! Y-You!"
Nozomi's nervous stammer and clear agitation made the President even more apprehensive, but before she could say anything, Tadano Senpai spoke up with irritation.
"What's with this unsightly demeanor? If there's a problem, speak up properly instead of making it worse with your inability to talk!" he reprimanded in a harsh tone.
"S-Sorry, Vice-President. It's just that the situation is quite bad."
"Nozomi, calm down first and tell us slowly," Fujikawa Senpai said, handing her a glass of water.
The girl took a deep gulp from the glass and sighed with relief, taking a deep breath to regain her composure.
"Um.....Should these two students leave or stay?"
She pointed to the two of us, who were leaning forward with excessive curiosity.
I was dumbfounded by her question.
'What the fuck? Don't kick us out, let us know too!!' I screamed internally.
Fujikawa Senpai frowned and then nodded after a pause.
"Yes. You two, step outside for a bit and take a break."
"NO!" I yelled, shooting up to my feet.
"What?"
Her frown deepened as she looked at me.
"N-No, I meant that maybe we can help with whatever it is? I don't know what the problem is, but I have a certain set of skills that can be very useful," I explained, trying my best to get the insider info.
Tadano Senpai scoffed at that.
"What skills could a failure possibly have?"
'...Can I stab him? This pencil should be enough.'
But my angelic President came to the rescue before I dealt with him myself.
"Vice-President, you're repeating the same mistake that you just apologized for," Fujikawa Senpai sighed.
".....I'm sorry."
"I'll have to talk with you later, but for now, you two students, please leave the room immediately."
My hopeful expression fell instantly, and I bit back the argument that threatened to come out. I knew my limits, and if I pushed here, it might just worsen her favorability towards me.
[DING]
[It has already dropped by two points since you entered the Student Council, Host]
'...Huh?'
While I blinked in confusion, Tooro pulled me by the arm and dragged me out of the room.
"We'll leave right away!" he said, his pace quickening.
When we stepped out, leaving our books and other belongings behind, Nozomi closed the door shut.
"Ugghhhhh!" I groaned. "I really want to know what the problem is!"
Tooro, still guiding me out, smirked at my annoyance.
"If you call me Daddy, I'll tell you what the problem is."
"Eh? How would you know what they're talking about?"
"I have my methods, but unlike your imaginary 'set of skills', mine is the real deal," he grinned.
"Yeah, right. Like I'll believe you," I sneered back.
"I swear on my Mom's life."
"That's not enough. Swear you're telling the truth, otherwise you'll suffer from erectile dysfunction for the rest of your life."
Tooro gasped at my ruthlessness, his eyes widening with a trace of fear.
But instead of backing off, he committed to it.
"Alright. I swear I know what they're talking about, or else I'll have ED forever. Now go ahead and call me Daddy."
'Hmmm...Tooro would never risk his Junior's health for something like this, so I have no choice, do I? It's for the rewards!'
"F-Fine. Daddy, please tell me what's going on?"
"Haha!! Alright, my dear child, I shall fulfill your request!"
His satisfied smile made me want to punch him, but I shifted my attention to the phone he'd just pulled out of his pocket.
He opened up the school's unofficial forum on it and opened up a recently posted thread.
"I snuck in my phone and was using it under the textbook like a genius, and got a notification for this thread. It's blown up very fast because of its contents!"
I ignored his boast and grabbed the phone out of his hands, shocked at the title of the post.
[CRAZY NEWS: THE PRESIDENT WAS BRIBED BY THE SYNDICATE???]
I quickly scrolled down and read the text, which wasn't very long.
And yet, the contents were explosive.
***
We all know about the criminal in the first year, right? The student named Yagami Reiji is the heir of the Yagami Syndicate, a fact that some people are still unaware of. Since the school began, he's gotten into trouble, one incident at a time, slowly cementing his family legacy in our glorious institution.
He's fought, he's threatened, he's bullied, and given a bloody nose more times than the number of girls I've talked to. Most recently, he was even suspected of cheating in the midterms to get First Place! He's been sent to the Student Council multiple times, and his victims have prayed to the gods, offered donations to shrines, and even performed sacred rituals, all so that Yagami would be hit by the Hammer of Justice.
But what happened?
The only punishments he's received so far are a two-day suspension and being forced to join two clubs instead of one.
That's it.
Nothing else.
Let's not even mention the fact that one of his chosen clubs is MMA, which only gives him more skills to continue his violence. Instead, let's talk about the fact that he was completely cleared of his cheating suspicion without a proper investigation!
Think about it, folks.
Do you believe that a violent Yakuza heir, who doesn't listen in class, spends his time oppressing his peers, and also has to attend four club sessions every week, would have the time, energy, and desire to study?
The title has already spoiled the plot twist in this story, but let me break it down for you.
Who is responsible for student misdemeanors?
The Student Council.
Who is leading the Student Council and makes these decisions?
The Student Council President.
Now, I know all of you love and admire the lovely President, despite her icy attitude, so I'm not going to overlook the possibility of her being forced into it!
Why?
See this picture below!!
[Pic]
***
The picture was taken from quite far away, but it was still clear.
In it, Fujikawa Senpai was bowing to Yagami Reiji in what appeared to be a market or exhibition in the background, her expression seemingly either apologetic or deferential.
The post continued below the picture, with more accusations being hurled.
***
It's no secret that the President has a good background herself, but does it compare to the behemoth of an organization like the Yagami Syndicate, which doesn't play by the rules?
Is she being blackmailed? Or is she being supported by the Syndicate?
I don't know the full truth.
But you all aren't idiots.
There's more to this than meets the eye, and the only fact we know for sure is that the President has failed to punish Yagami Reiji accordingly in a way that screams foul play.
My purpose is singular: TRUTH AND JUSTICE SHALL PREVAIL!!
[AUTHOR: anonymous_153267]
***
I switched the phone off, scratching my hair in extreme frustration.
'...This is not what I was expecting.'
The quest, which already seemed difficult at first glance, was far more complicated and overblown than I was hoping for.
My top suspect, Yagami Reiji?
Unless he was a bigger idiot than I thought, he was not the one behind this farce.
If I didn't know that this was a false accusation because of Spice beforehand, I myself would've been fooled by this post.
I glanced at the closed office doors behind me and adjusted my mindset.
Now....I needed to plan.
And then execute.